On June 6-7, the 9th World Congress on Chinese Studies, themed "Understanding China: Sinology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence," was held at the Bao'an Campus of Renmin University of China's Shenzhen Institute. The event gathered nearly 200 sinologists from over 50 countries and regions, with close to 100 international scholars in attendance.
Over two days, they explored innovative approaches to advancing Sinology in the AI era, injecting new vitality into cultural exchange between China and the world.
At the venue, these sinologists of diverse backgrounds not only spoke fluent and authentic Mandarin but also possessed unique expertise in classical Chinese literature, rural development, mathematics, international communication, and global relations.
Anzelika Smirnova, a sinologist from Latvia and a foreign expert at the China International Communications Group's Center for Cultural Communication, has studied Chinese for 20 years. Specialising in media dissemination, she thoughtfully shared her insights when asked for advice on Shenzhen's global outreach: "I find it trendy to address profound topics through lighthearted, engaging approaches. News reporting could spotlight intriguing angles while weaving in personal narratives."
She cited the recent livestream by American internet celebrity iShowSpeed in Shenzhen: "His exaggerated, direct style drew massive attention—a great case study in international communication."
Maria Istvanova, a doctoral candidate in the "New Sinology Program" and a young scholar from Slovakia, began learning Chinese in her home country before studying at Xiamen University. Her current research focuses on the international perception of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): "I'm analysing a decade of BRI coverage across three Slovak media outlets to track evolving perspectives on this initiative."
As Shenzhen students faced China's national college entrance exam (gaokao), Helwig Schmidt-Glintzer (Chinese name: 施寒微)—ranked among "Europe's Top Three Sinologists" and Professor Emeritus of East Asian Literature and Culture at Germany's University of Göttingen—offered a heartfelt message in Chinese at the invitation of Southern Daily and Southern+ reporters: "Good luck on the gaokao! May you ace the exams!"
Click the video to receive this "good luck from European scholars"!
Reporter | Cai Minling
Editor | Ouyang Yan, Wei Shen, James, Shen He